A history lesson, don't worry, it's the fun kind!

My grandmother was known for several things. She was generous, forthright, and well....hmmm, she was quite bossy. That seems a little harsher than I intended....let's say she was an excellent manager :)

She would very willingly, tell anyone anywhere exactly what they were doing right, and, of course, what they weren't.

She grew up in a very wealthy family. Her father and grandfather started several textile mills in Georgia. This was the home she grew up in.


My grandfather always cooked for her because when she was growing up they had a cook in their home. In all her years she never learned how to cook....I guess she never needed to. I never saw her clean or do laundry either....it's funny what you remember.

She and my grandfather were married over 50 years.

50 years!

At times, you were sure they were going to kill each other if they had to live in the same house for one more moment. But I guess after 50 years you're allowed to get on each others nerves every now and then.

We never doubted they loved each other.

I saw my grandparents all the time. They lived in our family's 120 year old farm house right across the street from me. They were always there.

My great-grandfather (grandfather's father) was a gentleman farmer. My grandfather was a dairy farmer for many years.

These are the registry certificates for the cows that he had. My mother still remembers them from their names. I have these framed in my kitchen....I love the feel and the quiet whisper of family they bring.

My grandfather was a navigator on bombers in World War II. His plane was shot down over Germany.

He was a prisoner of war for 18 months. The war ended.......that's how he got to come home.
He said they woke up one morning and there weren't anymore guards...they had all left.

He is on the bottom row, second from the right.

I have things from him and my grandmother all over my home.

This photograph sits at my desk.

That's him again with two of my aunts. I have been told that this picture if from a photo shoot that Southern Living did of the farm house back in the 60's.

All the things you see in that picture, the coffee pot, the cake stand, the silver floral ring, even the Audubon plates in the background are all still around and in use. Each one of the 7 granddaughters now has one of the plates. You can find them on ebay from time to time....(there's one here).

There were always fried pancakes on mornings we would spend the night...and hot chocolate with lots of whipped cream. He was a great cook, he made everything taste so yummy...you know, lots of butter, salt, cream.....

Not sure if you can see this but it's a recipe of my grandfathers that my grandmother wrote out. It's Griffin's Date Nut Cake. I framed it and put it in my kitchen. She had beautiful penmanship...and it has his name on it...I love that.
They passed away less than a year apart.

They have left me with a deep and unique family heritage that I treasure, traditions that will continue, and a sense of self that is unbending.

Roots and wings...